Pearls of Wisdom For Kingdom Living By Pastor George Belobaba

The Coming of Christ, Pt. 2

5. 1 Thessalonians 4:11…Maintain respect for others’ lives. Mind your own business. Paul teaches, “Study to be quiet, and to do your own business” (KJV). Too often we get lazy and want others to do what we should ourselves be doing.

6. 1 Thessalonians 4:12… Maintain honesty towards unbelievers. Unbelievers can be converted and become followers of the Lord.

7. 1 Thessalonians 5:11… Maintain a spirit that gives encouragement. When others are hurting, the Spirit can use you to give them comfort. The word “comfort” is connected with the Holy Spirit. One of the best compensations in life is this: “No one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” When you encourage others, you are giving yourself the comfort of the Spirit as well.

8. 1 Thessalonians 5:11… Maintain your edifying abilities. Encourage people. When you edify, you are building faith. You edify through the Holy Spirit. He gives you the words that mean something to the one you are edifying.

10. 1 Thessalonians 5:13…Maintain a spirit of peace. Especially in the assembly of the saints and outside the church also. “And be at peace among yourselves” (KJV) is a commandment. “Seek peace, and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Peace rules the day when Christ rules the heart and mind.

11. 1 Thessalonians 5:14… Maintain orderly behavior. In other words, “Stay cool, calm, and in control of yourselves.” Don’t become unruly and disruptive. See Colossians 1:10.

12. 1 Thessalonians 5:14… Maintain a spirit of compassion and concern. There are those who are weak in the faith, weak in their spirit, and in their emotions. “Be patient toward all” (KJV).Strengthen them, lead them to a higher level.

13. 1 Thessalonians 5:15… Maintain an attitude that refuses to retaliate. In times of pressure, we often want revenge. People will do things to make you angry. Get rid of the spirit that wants to get even.

14. 1 Thessalonians 5:16… Maintain the spirit of joy. At all times, even when you don’t feel like it. The most bankrupt person is the world is the one who has lost his joy and enthusiasm.

15. 1 Thessalonians 5:17… Maintain a spirit of prayer. At all times, be conversant with God because He is always with you.

16. 1 Thessalonians 5:18… Maintain a thankful spirit. Often in circumstances we forget that our thankfulness must be for what God has done for us. Giving thanks is the will of God. It may be that God ordained things as tests for us. Can we say, “Thank you, Lord, for I know you are instructing me”? God’s tests are never meant to destroy you or to hurt you.

17. 1 Thessalonians 5:19… Maintain the freedom of the Holy Spirit to move in your life and in the church. Paul uses the word “quench.” It means here, “Don’t diminish or smother or cause the Holy Spirit to depart from a meeting.” When man interferes, that’s what happens.

18. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21… Remain open to the prophetic. Don’t spurn the utterances that are prompted by the Spirit. Don’t deprecate prophetic revelations. In tough times, the Spirit will give people insight as to what they are to do. Remember that the test of a prophecy is, “Does it line up with the Word of God, and is the prophecy confirmed by two or three witnesses?” (See 2 Peter 1:20, Deuteronomy 17:6, Matthew 18:16.) Jesus taught that in the last days many false prophets will deceive many (Matthew 24:24-26).